Rugby Wales
     
Blues team badge

 

 

 

 

 
RUGBY IN CARDIFF

Cardiff Blues

Months of negotiation between the former nine Premiership clubs and the Welsh Rugby Union finally reached fruition during the Summer 2003 when an agreement was reached to establish a regional structure in place at the top of the game in Wales. Cardiff Rugby Football Club, with its stand alone status, embraced the concept and was the first region to launch as a new regional entity. The official Cardiff Blues launch event took place at the Cardiff Hilton on 6th June 2003.

Chief Executive, Robert Norster said, "A huge amount of effort has been made to ensure that the past 127 years of club traditions are not lost. We are delighted by the way these aspects have been respected and retained within the new modern brand."

Dating in Cardiff

Since the new team emerged the opening two seasons with Head Coach David Young at the helm throughout have brought mixed success on the field. Perhaps the biggest development has been political/economical, as during the summer 2004, one of the five welsh regions, Celtic Warriors, covering the rugby clubs Bridgend and Pontypridd as well as a geographical area into mid Wales, were disbanded. The Blues and Ospreys split the Warriors area making Cardiff Blues the biggest region in terms of population in Wales, but with still less support financially from the governing body of the sport.

 

The world of rugby in Wales continues to evolve, with new competitions and new opposition each season. For 2005/6 the Blues once again qualified for the Heineken Cup following a play-off win in Italy. The team will also compete in the new Powergen Cup competition including 12 English Premiership clubs and the four Welsh regions. During the Summer of 2005 the team once again reinfored their ranks recruiting new players from Llanelli Scarlets, Northampton Saints and Auckland Blues to name three and promoting a number of youngsters from the Academy and the region's high performance programme, which is headed up by Justin Burnell and Gafyn Cooper. With a move to a new training centre and new appointments to the Back Room staff the team and region looks forward to a more successful 2005-6.

Click here to visit Cardiff Blues home page

 
   
Site Design by Web Design In Wales © Exposure 2000 Ltd